HOSPICE AT HOME This morning I updated the media on the Hospice at Home Program, which has delivered almost 600 home palliative care packages in Tasmania. I welcome the early success of this $35 million federally-funded program, which is being delivered by the District Nurses under the Coalitions Tasmanian Health Assistance Package. The growing need for home-based palliative care in Northern Tasmania had been evident for a number of years. Now families have professional support services at a difficult time for loved ones who want to die at home. This program is about providing options to people at end of life and has successfully achieved its goal of helping people remain at home at the end of their lives, which may not have been possible without this program. There are currently 333 people using the program, which provides support worker care for overnight respite, personal care, domestic support and on call services. It also provides access to equipment to help get patients home earlier after a stay in hospital. More than 80 per cent of Hospice at Home patients in Tasmania are under specialist palliative care services and the program has brought together existing service providers and access to extra services for clients. The District Nurses Home Care Service has offices in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie. It is pleasing to see the successful introduction of Hospice at Home services in Tasmania and I commend The District Nurses Home Care for its commitment to the program.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 01:59:39 +0000